Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda)

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Dearborn Heights, Michigan - 1 schools

At $38,295 per pupil, Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) ranks #13 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

44
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$38,295
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) operates 1 public schools serving 44 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Wayne County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $38,295 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 82 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 0.5% local, 56.9% state, and 42.6% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles.

a 58:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 22.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 56.9% African American, 29.3% White, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Clara B Ford Academy Sda, enrolling 58 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Clara B Ford Academy Sda accounts for 100.0% of all Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) a distant remainder — means Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda)-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) reports 93.2% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) student-counselor ratio is 58:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) chronic absenteeism rate is 22.4% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) is typically wider than the Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda)-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

42.6%
Federal
56.9%
State
0.5%
Local

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda).

White 29.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
African American 56.9%
Multiracial 10.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

58:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda)

School Enrollment
Clara B Ford Academy Sda
Charter
58

How Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Michigan Department of Corrections Similar size No spending data No revenue-mix data
Macomb Academy Similar size No spending data More locally funded
Charlevoix Academy Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Excelsior Township S/D #1 Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Powell Township Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Michigan

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Utica Community Schools
25,744 students · 38 schools · $14,295/pupil
Compare vs Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $18,204/pupil
Compare vs Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $19,271/pupil
Compare vs Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $14,974/pupil
Compare vs Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda)

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Detroit Public Schools Community District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda)?

Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) has 1 school, including 1 combined. Total enrollment is 44 students.

How much does Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) spend per student?

Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) spends $38,295 per student.

What is the demographic composition of Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda)?

Clara B. Ford Academy (Sda) students are 56.9% African American, 29.3% White, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.